‘So Excited’ a sex farce that needs more laughs

Director Almodovar returns to his roots

Fans of Pedro Almodovar revere him in much the same way devotees of Woody Allen do: They don’t always like what he does, but they always want to see what he’s up to. In recent years, that dedication has served them well, as the Spanish filmmaker evolved from the charming, frothy comedies that defined his early career to darker material such as “The Skin I Live In” and “Broken Embraces,” which delved into deeper psychological territory than films like “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” or “Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down,” the 1990 movie that launched Antonio Banderas onto the world stage.

Banderas, also the star of “The Skin I Live In,” reunites with Almodovar for the director’s new picture, “I’m So Excited,” but don’t expect a lot of screen time from him or Penelope Cruz, both of whom appear only in the opening scene, playing airline maintenance workers whose big news puts the rest of the film’s characters in danger.

Their negligence wrecks the landing gear of a passenger airplane scheduled to fly from Spain to Mexico, forcing the passengers and crew not just to change their plans, but also to confront their own mortality. And this being Almodovar, their sexuality. You see, despite the heavy-duty concept, “I’m So Excited” is a sex farce, a return to the campiness that made Almodovar famous.

There’s a bit more to it than that, though. The director has said that he’s using the plane’s constant circling and the talk of corruption as an allegory for Spain’s lousy economy. It makes sense, too, since the entire thing takes place in business class — all of the coach passengers have been dosed with sleep-inducing muscle relaxants.

With the end of the flight much in doubt, the few conscious passengers and the crew must come to terms with their lives. This includes the pilot, a married man having a homosexual affair with the head steward. Then there’s the co-pilot, who is seriously straight, except for when he experiments. There’s also a failed actor who is perhaps responsible for the nation’s financial woes, a top-shelf dominatrix, and a psychic who is sure she’ll lose her virginity before the plane lands. Oh, and the only way for any of them to settle their affairs on the ground is via a phone that can be heard by everyone in the cabin.

Though the themes of camp and corruption are intertwined, the camp wins out, because Almodovar is trying to explore that nascent relationship between sex and death. But the characters and jokes are extraordinarily broad, and the sex is so completely at the forefront that it overshadows the seriousness of the situation.

While there are no obvious cockpit jokes, there are plenty of characters who join the Mile High Club. But none of these people feel real, which makes it tough to care about them, and the movie isn’t funny enough to make up for it. And while it’s nice to see the filmmaker return to his roots, “I’m So Excited” is a concept that never quite takes off.

“I’m So Excited”

Rating: R

When: Opens today

Where: ArcLight La Jolla & Landmark Hillcrest

Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

★★

Anders Wright reviews movies for U-T San Diego. Email him at anderswright@gmail.com